>>> PROSECUTORS DECIDE AGAINST PUTTING FORMER ALDERMAN ON THE WITNESS STAND IN ALDERMAN ED BURKE'S TRIAL.

MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON PREPARES WOULD BE CANDIDATES FOR THE MARCH PRIMARY, WHO WERE NOW FREE TO BEGIN COLLECTING SIGNATURES TO TRY TO GET ON THE BALLOT.

HERE WITH ALL THAT IS OUR SPOTLIGHT POLICY TEAM AND SPECIAL GUEST, POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT REPORTER, JUSTIN WOLMAN.

HEATHER, YOU RELEASED A REPORT THAT FEDERAL PROSECUTORS WILL NOT ASK FOR THE FORMER ALDERMAN TO SPEAK AT THE TRIAL FOR ED BURKE SET TO START IN TWO MONTHS.

>> PROSECUTORS BELIEVE THEY HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO CONVICT ED BURKE ON 14 COUNTS OF RACKETEERING, CONDUCTION, BRIBERY, AND EXTORTION WITHOUT THE SINGLE MOST POLITICAL CORRUPTION HISTORY.

IT'S A BET, BUT IT'S ONE THAT THE PROSECUTORS BY THEIR MOVE TODAY SAY THEY'RE WILLING TO TAKE.

AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE IT, THEY DO NOT CALL REPORTERS AND TALK ABOUT THEIR TRIAL STRATEGY.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER, AS HE DID NOT AND HAS ADMITTED ACCEPTING $15,000 IN BRIBES WHILE HE WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE ZONING COMMITTEE, AMONG OTHER BAD ACTS, BEFORE AGREEING TO REPORT NOT JUST ED BURKE BUT ALSO MIKE MADIGAN.

HIS ADMISSION IN COURT IS THAT HE TOOK THAT $50,000 IN BRIBES AS PART OF HIS AGREEMENT WHICH COULD ALL COME BACK AND HAUNT THE PROSTITUTION.

>> TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED TO DETAIL HOW BIG THE CITIES TO GAP WOULD.

WHAT WILL YOU BE LOOKING FOR?

>> CERTAINLY, THE FIRST WILL WANT TO KNOW IS HOW BIG THAT BUDGET IS.

THERE WAS AN ESTIMATE OF 85 MILLION.

AND I THINK THERE IS REASON TO BELIEVE THAT IT WILL COME IN HIGHER THAN THAT.

BUT TO UNDERSTAND HOW HIGH, IF IT'S IN THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS, IT WOULD BE GOOD REASON TO INCREASE TAXES, TO BRING IN MORE REVENUE.

SO THE FIRST BIG THING IS THAT.

>> HEATHER, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THIS SHORTFALL THAT LORI LIGHT FALL PREDICTED ON HER WAY OUT.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR ?

>> IT'S SORT OF A TIME HONORED TRADITION WHEN A NEW MAYOR TAKES OVER FOR AN OLD MAYOR, THEY LOOK IN THE BOOKS AND SAY, OH MY GOODNESS, CHICAGO'S FINANCIAL MISSION IS SO MUCH WORSE THAN WITH THE PREVIOUS GUY LED ME TO BELIEVE.

THERE'S SOMETHING I NEED TO DO THAT I DON'T WANT TO, AND THAT COULD INCLUDE RAISING TAXES.

HE'S GOING TO BE UNDER LESS PRESSURE TO SHOW HE COVERS DIFFERENTLY THAN LIGHT DID.

SHE WAS VERY AGGRESSIVE DURING LEGISLATION, SHE WAS VERY MUCH, THIS IS MY BUDGET.

THE HIGHWAY OR NO WAY.

JONATHAN HAS PROMISED A MORE COLLABORATIVE, LUCRATIVE APPROACH, AND THAT IS WHERE THIS IS REALLY GOING TO MEET HIM ON THE ROAD.

>> HE HAS INVESTMENTS THAT HE SAYS ARE NEEDED TO MAKE THE CITY MORE EQUITABLE.

CAN HE PULL IT OFF?

>> THE TWO BIG THINGS ARE, THE CITY'S MENTAL HEALTH CLINICS, AND MORE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE SUFFERING HOMELESSNESS.

WHETHER HE CAN DO IT -- I DON'T THINK HE'S GOING TO TRY TO DO IT ALL IN YOUR ONE.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE ARE LEARNING AS WE APPROACH THE SEASON.

AND YOU WILL NEED SOME BUY-IN FROM HIS LARGER MOVEMENT.

BUT THEY WILL TRUST HIM WHEN HE SAYS, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE NUMBER WILL BE.

BUT TRUST ME, I'M COMING FOR THE OTHER ONE.

PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO BUY INTO THAT IN WAYS THEY HAVEN'T WITH THE PREVIOUS MAYOR.

WE TRUST YOU, WE CONTINUE TO YOU, AND WE WILL BE PATIENT FOR OUR GOAL.

>> EVEN THOUGH THEY JUST GOT DONE WITH ONE ELECTION -- >> IT'S ALWAYS ELECTIONS REASON.

>> THAT'S A WAY THAT FOLKS LIKE IT.

SO THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME FOR WANT TO BE CANDIDATES.

THEY NEED SIGNATURES SO THAT THEY CAN GET NOMINATED TO GET ON THE BALLOT.

MAYBE A LITTLE EARLY, BUT WHICH RACES ARE YOU MOST FOCUSED ON?

>> IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHO REPLACES KIM FOX AS ATTORNEY.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHERS, INCLUDING A BALLOT TO REPRESENT THE 20th DISTRICT IN THE SENATE.

SHE SUPPORTS HER FORMER DISTRICT DIRECTOR, BUT SHE WAS NOT APPOINTED TO REPLACE HER ON A TEMPORARY BASIS.

WHO IS ALIGNED WITH THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DEMOCRAT, THE MORE MODERATE SIDE OF THE DEMOCRATS.

IT'S GOING TO BE A BATTLE FOR TOTAL CONTROL FOR THE PROGRESSES ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE.

>> I WANT TO ADD TO THAT ONE.

DR. DAVE NYACK WHO IS A POLITICALLY INVOLVED DOCTOR AND FARMER, IT WILL ALSO BE A VERY EXPENSIVE RACE.

AND THE OTHER BATTLE I CAN GATHER FROM THE ALDERMAN IS SHE'S GOING TO PUT HER HAT IN THE RING TO RUN IN THE COMMITTEE PERSON RACE, AND THAT WILL BE ANOTHER THING TO WATCH.

BUT I THINK IT MIGHT BE MAYBE EVEN FEISTY OR.

I'M SURE THERE'S GOT TO BE IN ALDERMAN CANDIDATE AGAINST RODRIGUEZ SANCHEZ.

THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED.

>> WE MIGHT HAVE CHANCE TO MAKE HISTORY IN THIS ELECTION.

>> IT'S BEEN MORE THAN 140 YEARS SINCE CHICAGO VOTERS HAVE GONE TO PASS A BINDING REFERENDUM.

ONE OF THOSE PRIORITIES, JUSTIN MENTIONED THE RICH CHICAGO HOME PLAN FOR PROPERTY WORTH MORE THAN $1 MILLION.

THE CITY COUNCIL AGREES IN OCTOBER TO THOSE VOTERS IN MARCH, AND THE VOTERS PASS, THEN THE CITY COUNCIL TAKES ANOTHER VOTE TO CHANGE THAT TAX, WILL BE A HARD BATTLE.

>> FOR GOOD MEASURE, ONE WAS LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED?